2026 -- S 2666

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LC005593

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE RHODE ISLAND

MEDICAID REFORM ACT OF 2008

     

     Introduced By: Senators Mack, DiMario, Gu, Murray, Kallman, Lauria, Ujifusa, and
Valverde

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 42-12.4 of the General Laws entitled "The Rhode Island Medicaid

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Reform Act of 2008" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     42-12.4-10. Fertility.

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     (a) Definitions: As used in this section, the following words or terms shall have the

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following meanings unless the context shall clearly indicate another or different meaning or intent:

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     (1) "Fertility diagnostic care" means counseling, products, medications, procedures,

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genetic testing, and services intended to provide information about an individual's fertility,

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including laboratory assessments and imaging studies.

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     (2) “Infertility” means:

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     (i) The presence of a condition recognized by a health care provider that impacts an

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individual’s ability to establish a pregnancy or to carry a pregnancy based on an individual’s

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medical, sexual, and reproductive history; age; physical findings; diagnostic testing; or any

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combination of these factors. This includes infertility arising from disabilities or from medical

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treatments or conditions associated with disability;

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     (ii) An individual’s inability to establish a pregnancy because the individual or the

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individual and the individual’s partner do not have the necessary gametes to establish a pregnancy;

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or

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     (iii) An individual’s inability to establish a pregnancy or to carry a pregnancy to live birth

 

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after twelve (12) months of unprotected sexual intercourse when the individual and the individual’s

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partner have the necessary gametes to establish a pregnancy. Pregnancy loss does not restart the

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twelve-month period.

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     (3) "Intrauterine insemination" means a procedure that places sperm directly into an

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individual's uterus at the time of ovulation to increase the chances of fertilization.

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     (4) “Standard fertility preservation services” means counseling, products, medications,

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procedures, genetic testing, and services intended to preserve fertility, consistent with established

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medical practice and professional guidelines published by the American Society for Reproductive

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Medicine or the American Society for Clinical Oncology for an individual who has a medical or

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genetic condition, including conditions related to disability or chronic illness, or who is expected

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to receive medical treatment that has a side effect or possible side effect of a risk to an individual’s

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fertility and includes, but is not limited to expenses related to evaluation, laboratory assessments,

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medications, and treatment, as well as the procurement and cryopreservation of gametes, embryos,

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and reproductive material and storage.

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     (5) “Department” means the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS).

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     (b) Beginning January 1, 2027, the department shall provide Medicaid coverage for:

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     (1) Fertility diagnostic care;

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     (2) Standard fertility preservation including, but not limited to, storage from the time of

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cryopreservation provided that coverage for such storage shall extend until the individual reaches

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the age of thirty (30), or for a period five (5) years, whichever is later. Storage may be offered for

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a longer period of time; and

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     (3) Treatment of infertility including any medically necessary ovulation-enhancing

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medications and medical services related to prescribing and monitoring the use of the ovulation-

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enhancing medications for at least three (3) cycles of ovulation-enhancing medication treatment;

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and at least six (6) cycles of intrauterine insemination. In the event that ovulation-enhancing

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medication treatment administered with intention to prepare for intrauterine insemination results in

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an ovulation response that counter-indicates intrauterine insemination, coverage for invitro

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fertilization and embryo transfer as recommended by the treating physician.

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     (c) Coverage under this section shall not:

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     (1) Impose a waiting period;

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     (2) Use any prior diagnosis, an individual’s disability, or prior fertility treatment as a basis

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for excluding, limiting, or otherwise restricting the availability of coverage required by this section;

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     (3) Impose any limitations on coverage for any fertility services based on an individual’s

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use of donor gametes; and

 

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     (4) Impose different limitations on coverage for, provide different benefits to, or impose

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different requirements on a class of persons on account of their age, ancestry, color, disability,

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ethnicity, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, or

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sexual orientation.

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     (d) On or before January 1, 2027, the department shall submit a report to the speaker of the

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house and president of the senate after consulting with the centers for Medicare & Medicaid

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Services on whether in vitro fertilization (IVF) is a medically reasonable and necessary procedure

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under federal law, possible methods for covering IVF as a Medicaid covered benefit for both fee-

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for-service and managed care organizations, including any potentially applicable waiver

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authorities, and the amount of money that would need to be allocated to federal and local funds for

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such coverage.

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     (e) The provisions of this section shall apply to Medicaid state plans issued or renewed on

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or after January 1, 2027.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE RHODE ISLAND

MEDICAID REFORM ACT OF 2008

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     This act would require Medicaid in this state to provide coverage for fertility diagnostic

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care, standard fertility preservation services, any medically necessary ovulation-enhancing drugs

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and medical services related to prescribing and monitoring the use of the ovulation-enhancing drugs

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for at least three cycles of ovulation-enhancing medication treatment, and intrauterine insemination.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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